Sunday, September 17, 2006

You all knew I'm immature, right?

Well, if you are one of my faithful readers, you know that Paul (unintentionally) issued a challenge to me at the beginning of the year. And I'm all "I'll show HIM!"

I've read six books so far this year. This is great for me, but being that it's the ninth month of the year, I am a bit behind. Currently, I am in the middle of Six Easy Pieces, Every Man's Battle, Don't Waste Your Life, and Tesla (there are links to these books in my sidebar if you want more information.) I envision myself finishing the first three, but I think the Tesla book might be a dud. No matter, really, I've come to accept the fact that the list of books I haven't finished will always be longer than the list of books I have.

I think I can finish the other three relatively soon. And I have just started another book. Boomama encouraged me to read it after I left a comment on Toni's blog. I was sharing about how I loved A Separate Peace when I read it in the ninth grade, but didn't remember what it was about. (And how I think that is weird. Don't you think that is weird?)

Well. The Mama de Boo, who knows a thing or two about literature, told me she thought the last paragraph in ASP was so, um, great. (Of course, she used much more descriptive and mature words.) It got me so intrigued, that I decided to read it again. All for the last paragraph. I figure if I can fight the urge to flip to the last page and read the last paragraph, then I will be assured of reading the entire book... because I know something good is coming.

And this is important because the book is, after all, fiction. And y'all know I don't do fiction. (Of course Boomama has me wanting to read To Kill a Mockingbird again too, so who knows what may come of my fiction reading...)

Anyway, I went to the library last night and looked up A Separate Peace. Imagine my shock and horror when I realized it was shelved in the "Teen lit" section. I don't know why I was surprised, I read it in the ninth grade, for goodness sake. But still, it's not like a feeling of pride washes over you when you realize the only fiction that is going to hold your attention is geared toward people who say things like "r u goin 2nite?" and " ttyl."

Yeah. So you can just imagine how I felt when, not even into the second chapter, I came across a word that I didn't know.

Overflowing with pride, I am.

But I'm 50 pages in. (I read them all in one day. GASP!!!) So, there's no turning back now.

I don't remember having read it, so I'm intrigued. I may just have to check that one out. I won't ask what the word was, but I know I won't get through the second chapter without trying to figure it out. :-)

I didn't read ASP until college and that was for a course. I believe I recall reading an interview with the author. He said he didn't write it for teens. He just wrote the story that was in him and that's the way it was marketed. At least that's what I recall him saying. I could be hallucinating. A lot of books marketed for teens weren't written specifically for that audience. So hold your head up high.

I didn't read ASP until college and that was for a course. I believe I recall reading an interview with the author. He said he didn't write it for teens. He just wrote the story that was in him and that's the way it was marketed. At least that's what I recall him saying. I could be hallucinating. A lot of books marketed for teens weren't written specifically for that audience. So hold your head up high.